City of Demons
by Isis Lied
Summary: AU For some reason trouble always seemed to follow Rin Okumura. The sometimes-troublemaker turned hero is struck by a car while saving a child. Near death, he makes a deal with a certain violet-haired trickster and finds himself with new powers— and demons. Rin/Izumo with minor pairings inside.
1. Chapter 1- Gambles

City of Demons  
AU For some reason trouble always seemed to follow Rin Okumura. The sometimes-troublemaker turned hero is struck by a car while saving a child. Near death, he makes a deal with a certain violet-haired trickster and finds himself with new powers— and demons. Rin-centric.

A/N: Currently drowning in plot bunnies XD I can't seem to focus on, well, anything, but this idea has been bugging me for ages! Anyway, this story will be Rin-centric, but pairings (or if there will be any) haven't been decided. I'll let you guys decide :P All ya need to know for this AU is that the group will be older, somewhere in the college age range.

Genre: Drama, Supernatural

Rating: T+ for language and possibly gore.

Disclaimer: I still do not own Blue Exorcist.

* * *

Chapter 1- Gambles

.

.

Rin Okumura fumbled with the black tie, muttering a few choice curses under his breath. The fabric became more entangled with his every attempt until the boy huffed in annoyance, letting the tie slip from his hands. His brown-haired twin gave a knowing smile, padding over to his frustrated brother.

"Need help, nii-san?" He teased lightly, watching as the youth shrugged, attempting to appear as nonchalant as possible despite nearly being at his wit's end. Unbeknownst to Yukio, the blue-haired man had spent a good thirty minutes wrestling with the tie before he came into the room, and had only managed to stub his toe, drop the tie underneath his bed, and nearly strangle himself.

Rin looked away, mumbling out a curt response before lifting his chin up. Yukio chuckled, bringing his hands toward his older twin's neck. "What would father say now if he saw that you still couldn't put on a tie?"

"...Shut up." He retorted, although there was no actual malice to be found in his voice.

Yukio ignored the comment, fixing the tie into place before giving a warm smile. "Good luck with the interview, nii-san. I'm sure you'll get the job... as long as you don't get lost on your way there."

The blue-haired teen narrowed his eyes, pointing a finger at his brother accusingly. "T-that was one time! And I wasn't lost, I was just... sightseeing. Yah, sightseeing."

"In the town you grew up in?"

Rin clicked his teeth in annoyance. "Alright, I got lost! Geeze, Yukio..." He trailed off, taking one last glance in the mirror. The dark suit he had borrowed from his twin was a bit long, with the cuffs slipping just past his knuckles, but still fit relatively well. Running a hand through his slicked back hair (courteous Yukio and a mountain of hair gel), he could almost pretend that he was a well-dressed salesperson or businessman. _Almost.  
_  
The features that marred his fake-businessy look were his dirt-caked shoes, the few cuts that peppered his face, and the white bandages that sneaked up his knuckles. Sighing, Rin turned away from the mirror and towards the door, twisting the brass doorknob.

"I'll see ya later, Yukio!" He called, disappearing out the door.

The brown-haired man returned his gaze to the medical textbook on the coffee table, wondering faintly if Rin would be alright. They had just moved to the city to be closer to Yukio's university and partly to give his older twin a second chance; a high-school dropout due to a few unsavory circumstances, Rin would have a better chance of landing a job in a big city then in their small hometown. It was also a good excuse to get him away from the gangs that seemed to gravitate towards the somewhat-troublemaker.

It wasn't like Rin looked for trouble; he just seemed to attract problems like a magnet. Sure enough, he'd fine some group of delinquents in the middle of a heinous act and feel the need to play the hero. It was just a shame that his 'heroic' acts often led to either his arrest or a hospital visits (or both).

After getting their adopted father, Shiro Fujimoto, on board it was only a few weeks until the pair found themselves in a small apartment in the heart of a neighboring city. While the priest had promised to send a check every month to help with their living expenses neither wanted to inconvenience the man. Instead, Yukio worked as a paid intern in one of the nearby hospitals on his days off from college while Rin searched frantically for a job.

Yukio sincerely hoped that Rin wouldn't get lost— or mess up the interview.

* * *

The blue-haired youth stared at the train map in a confused daze, cobalt eyes frantically searching for the right stop in the strange, almost crossword-like jumble of kanji.

"Damnit, why does this stupid café have to be so far away?!" He whined, checking the name on paper with what appeared on the map. He stood in the middle of the busy terminal for over fifteen minutes, scanning the names to no avail. He almost gave up until someone tapped him on the shoulder.

"Hmm?" He turned around, expecting to see some annoyed commuter. Instead, a petite blonde with green eyes stood in front of him, shyly playing with a lock of her hair.

"U-uh, I hate to bother you, b-but you look lost. You've been standing there for a while and I know how confusing the station can be..." She trailed off, clearly embarrassed.

Rin's gaze softened as he flashed a grin, holding out the near crumpled piece of paper. "Nah, I'm glad you stopped to help. I, uh, need to find this cafe but I can't seem to find the right stop."

"O-oh, let me see." She took the paper, eyebrows furrowed in concentration as she read the directions on the lined paper. Her emerald orbs widened instantly as she smiled back, pointing to one of the already stopped trains.

"If you take that one right now you'll make it to the cafe in no time! I love that place; I'm sure you'll enjoy it!" She chirped, handing back the paper.

Rin blushed nervously, giving the girl a quick thank you before sprinting towards the train she specified. Just making it before the double doors closed, he waved at the girl as the machine roared to life, rumbling away from the terminal.

_Damn, I didn't catch her name... _he thought, finding an empty seat near the sliding doors.

* * *

Once back on the streets, the blue-haired youth ran frantically through the morning crowd, apologizing every now and then for jostling someone.

"H-hey!" A purple-haired woman yelled indignantly as he bumped into her, knocking her coffee from her hands.

"Sorry!" He called back, checking his watch. Damn. He only had ten minutes to make it to the interview on time.

Increasing to a sprint, Rin careened through the sea of people, stopping only to obey traffic signals and the occasional elderly person who (which he knew from experience) would knock him with a cane if he so much as sneezed in their direction. Making a sharp turn, he caught the glimpse of a young child fumbling for a scarf, darting onto the crosswalk. The lights suddenly turned green as engines roared to life. A man on his phone pushed on the gas, clearly unaware of the child mere feet from him. He continued to yell angrily at his cell, eyes away from the road.

_Shit!_ He watched in panic as the semi-truck continued forward, right in the direction of the child. His legs moved automatically before his thoughts could catch up with him.

The girl just retrieved her scarf when Rin darted forward, pushing her out of the way. There was a sudden screeching of horns and a multitude of screams from onlookers as the blue-haired teen was hit, the impact throwing him a few feet into the air before he landed on the concrete with a sickening crack. Blood pooled from his crumpled form, bleary blue orbs twisted in pain.

"Someone, call for an ambulance!"

"I don't think the kid's going to make it..."

"He saved that girl, didn't he?"

* * *

The youth woke to darkness.

He felt as if he was floating, body weightless and cold. He slowly sunk into the emptiness, conscience fading. His veins seemed to be filled with ice, a strange lethargy taking over his limbs. It took all of his strength just to keep his eyes open.

_So this is the afterlife. How sad... there's nothing here._

_Ah, but you are not dead yet, Rin Okumura~!_ An unfamiliar voice called out, echoing in the void.

_Who are you? And what do you mean?  
_  
_That doesn't matter right now. Let's just say I'm a family friend. As for your second question_, a snapping noise could be heard as the boy was lifted to his feet. He met the calculating gaze of a man with peridot eyes, violet hair appearing nearly black in the heavy darkness.

_How would you like to take a gamble, Okumura-kun?_

_W-what are you talkin' about? I don't understand—  
_  
_It's simple. I've frozen time for the moment, leaving you alive for now. But if time starts again, in your condition... you will surely die.  
_  
_W-what?!_

_You only have a few precious moments, so I suggest you listen carefully. I can save you. Well, you'd more or less save yourself. The truth is, I've been holding on to a particularly pesky soul. Ah, but not just any regular soul. It is a demon's, forged from the king of Gehenna himself.  
_  
_King? Gehenna? What the hell is going on?!  
_  
A chuckle followed. _Such tenacity~! Being young must be wonderful! Anyway, what I'm saying is that if you accept this soul into you, the demon should take over and heal itself- heal you, rather. But, there are some risks—  
_  
_I don't care. I'll do it!_

A look of amusement passed the man's eyes. _Looks like I picked the right human after all. You may call me Mephisto Pheles. I'll visit you once you've adjusted to the demon. Well, if you survive, anyway._

A sudden pain bloomed in Rin's heart as he let out a cry of pain. It felt as if there was a fire in his chest, coursing through his veins until he felt nothing but the white-hot agony. His whole body was seemingly consumed in flames, a stark contrast to the once coldness of Mephisto's pocket-dimension. The pain eventually became too much; his slanted pupils returned to their regular shape as he fell back, losing consciousness.

* * *

Yukio drummed his fingers against his lap anxiously, eyes darting to the phone at his side for the fifteenth time. Rin sure was taking a while...

He shook his head at his over active imagination. Rin was fine. He just had a bad habit of being late; and, if it was like he hypothesized, the boy would take his time since he didn't get the job.

Suddenly, the shrill beep of the house phone cut through his thoughts. Yukio quickly picked up the receiver, a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach at the caller ID. It was an unfamiliar number.

"Hello...?"

"Is this Yukio Okumura?" A feminine voice questioned.

"Y-yes. Is something wrong?"

"I'm sorry sir, but there's been an accident. Your brother—"

The bespectacled man slammed the phone back in its cradle before the woman could finish, fingers already curled around the doorknob.

* * *

Sitting in the metal chair by Rin's bedside, Yukio felt the sting of tears behind his eyes. He had come so close to losing his brother. The doctors had told him what had happened, how Rin had been his usual recklessly stupid, but heroic self and pushed a little child out of the way of a semi-truck. He knew that he should have been dead; the doctors had told him that much. They couldn't believe that the boy was still breathing. Yet, as the hours wore on, Rin's condition continued to improve.

A medical miracle, they had said, although they were worried about his coma-like state. While brain scans showed nothing abnormal, there was still a chance that the accident had done something to his memory. So as much as Yukio wanted to be happy that his twin was alive and breathing, the fear of him not even recognizing his family loomed in the back of his mind.

The heart monitor beeped erratically for a moment, alerting the youth to Rin's sudden movement, fingers twitching and curling into his hospital gown. Yukio bolted from his seat when he saw his brother's eyes flutter open. He opened his mouth to speak, only to pause in abject horror.

_Those aren't Rin's eyes..._ He stared speechless at the slanted pupils and now bright cerulean irises that narrowed darkly in his presence. The lights in the room suddenly sparked blue before dimming, bathing the room in darkness.

A deep, almost guttural chuckle escaped the boy's lips as he sneered. "So this is Assiah... how interesting."

And it was then that Yukio knew that this person— monster, demon, wasn't his brother.

* * *

A/N: I know it may seem a bit like the anime, but things will be taking an... interesting turn. I partially got this idea from the Demon Eaters from the manga since apparently eating demons can give you immortality/power :P

Anyway, as for pairings, you guys can just suggest them in reviews since I'm torn between a few. Or if you guys want any pairings at all; this story will be Rin-centric, after all, and doesn't really need any pairings.

But, if the story were to have any pairings I know for a fact there would be Mephisto/Shura. It's just who to pair Rin with that I'm wondering about.

So do you guys want Shiemi/Rin or Izumo/Rin? Let me know in a review, please :3 or any other pairings of other characters that you might want to see!

Oh, and the title of the story is significant; just wait and see XD

See ya guys in Chapter 2!

-Isis


	2. Chapter 2- Bridge

Chapter 2- Bridge

.

.

"Who are you?" Yukio responded coldly, surprised to hear no tremor in his voice. Instead, his hands balled into fists at his side at the sight of his brother (or at least his body) tipping his head back to let out a cackle, cerulean orbs flickering with interest and mischief.

"Who am I, you ask? Why, I'm your darling older brother, aren't I? Perhaps I am merely a confused hit-and-run victim acting on some dark whim brought on by extensive brain trauma." He laughed again, tugging at the wires that traveled up his arms and disappeared into his hospital gown. The heart monitor cried out erratically before becoming eerily silent. It chilled the younger twin to the bone, silencing any of his responses with the cold, arrogant look apparent in his not-brother's eyes.

The door to the hospital room suddenly swung open, revealing a man dressed similarly to that of a circus performer. The stranger sighed at the sight as Rin bristled, hissing loudly. Blue flames suddenly consumed the youth, causing Yukio to step back in horror and fear. _His skin... isn't burning... why...?  
_  
"Samael, how dare you pick such an insignificant runt of a human to put my soul into! I needed a world leader, someone with insurmountable power!" He rasped, fingers digging into the plastic guardrails of the hospital bed. His claws left marks against the easily-twisted material, puncturing the plastic deeply.

The stranger spoke calmly, although there was a tinge of animosity to his words, "I am a prodigal son, after all. Would you expect any different, father? Besides, in your state there are few bodies that will accept you and even fewer that can be permanent vessels. Even now, your flames threaten to consume that boy's soul."

"What of it?! It is in a demon's nature to kill!"

"Ah, is it though? Or have we simply forgotten our true reason for existing?"

"Enough!" Rin roared, sending a wave of blue fire towards the man dressed in white. Fluidly, he grabbed his pink umbrella, pulling it open as a barrier to the fire. Surprisingly, the ice-cream adorned umbrella did not burn, but the wall behind him turned black with ash. He looked back at the destruction with wide eyes.

"My, my, father, your temper hasn't changed~!"

The blue-haired man growled, attempting to move from his bed only to fall backwards onto the pillows, a sheen of cold sweat breaking out against his skin.

"You always were a petulant child. It's no surprise I gave Lucifer the highest throne." Rin's voice weakened, cerulean eyes growing dim.

His words roused a genuine chuckle from the dark-haired man. "Rest, father. In time, your soul will heal and you can pick a more suitable vessel, one that can bridge the gap between Gehenna and Assiah without you having to be at your weakest state."

"Go away, I'm tired. And kill this other brat while you're at it. If this vessel loses all attachments he'll eventually stop... resisting— damnit, this kid's annoying. A-always fighting m-me... help me, Yukio! Shut up! H-help!" Rin clutched at his head, letting out a pained howl.

The flames increased in intensity, creating a cobalt dome of fire around the youth. Inside the dome, everything but Rin burned, white sheets turning to ash from the flames. The entire supporting frame of the bed groaned before collapsing, metal eaten away by the scorching blue. Yukio watched in fear, falling to the floor in surprise.

"Nii...san...?"

"Didn't I tell you it would be difficult, Okumura-kun~?" The stranger chastised, moving towards the screaming man. Setting a gloved hand on the dome, he spoke again. "Eins, Zwei, Drei!"

Immediately, the dome faded as the boy fell against the remnants of the hospital bed, unconscious. The two flames around his head dissipated, signaling that control of the body had returned to Rin.

"Hmm, what can I do to give him more control? Oh, this will be perfect!" The man said, snapping his fingers. A flashy puff of smoke engulfed the room, causing the younger twin to fall unconscious as well. The demon looked back, frowning.

"Ah, I forgot about you... my apologies."

Returning to the boy in front of him, he narrowed his eyes. "Now that father's been... placated, I can give both of you a fighting chance! Hahaha, I wonder who will win, the king of Gehenna, or the human with courage... this will be fun to watch, indeed."

Reaching to his side, a sword ghosted into his hand, blue scabbard shining in the dark room. A gold seal shined on the hilt of the sword as the unconscious boy was swallowed in flames again, only to have the fire follow an arc to the sword. Only the horn-like flames remained on the youth as the demon snapped his fingers a final time.

"Let's try this meeting again, shall we?" He chuckled, watching the room recreate itself. The prince waited until the moment before Yukio rushed to Rin's side before positioning himself just outside the hospital room.

"Now, let the play begin~!" He said, allowing for the flow of time in the room to begin again.

* * *

Yukio smiled at his brother who had woken with a yawn, rubbing the back of his bandaged head casually.

"Mornin', Yukio. How long have I been out?"

"Three days, but that's not important. How do you feel?"

Rin shrugged. "I feel pretty great, actually. Uh, but didn't I get hit by a semi-truck?"

Before Yukio could respond a light tapping came from the door, startling the pair. Expecting a nurse, the bespectacled man called for the person to enter.

"Hello, Okumura-kun~!" A cheery voice called.

Both twins watched agape as a man dressed flamboyantly in white waltzed into the hospital room, tipping his hat.

"D-do we know you—" Yukio started.

"You're going to~!" He chirped, pushing back his elegant cape to reveal a sheathed sword.

Yukio immediately stilled. _A weapon? Does this have something to do with nii-san? _"What are you planning to do with that sword?"

"Hmm? This? Why, it's fake, of course!" He teased, removing the sword from its scabbard. Almost immediately, Rin erupted into flames, letting out a terrified screech. He frantically tried to snuff out the flames to no avail; the fire would not go out.

_I'm going to die! _He thought, even though the blue flames had not even burned into his hospital gown.

The demon chuckled at his reaction, clutching his stomach heartily before sheathing the sword. "Now, now... don't you remember, Okumura-kun? That dark void you thought was the afterlife?"

Rin was still trying to calm his racing heart from the blue flames, which to his shock, had only felt warm against his skin. Wracking his fuzzy mind, a few pieces of their discussion in the 'void' came back to him.

"You're that guy that reminded me of a clown! Mephy or something, right?"

"How rude! I go by Johann Faust in public, but I prefer to be addressed as Mephisto Pheles." He chastised, throwing the sword to Rin.

The blue-haired man caught it with a single hand, looking at the weapon wearily. "I still don't understand... demons, bargains, men in clown suits—"

"It is quite a tale, isn't it? Sit back, Okumura twins, it is a story I will only be telling once."

Begrudgingly, Rin sat up, resting his body against the plastic headboard. Yukio took the metal chair to his right, eyeing the flamboyant man with apprehension.

"Nii-san, just what is going on? That sword and those flames... I-I don't understand."

Rin sighed. "I thought it was a dream. After being hit, I found myself in this sort of limbo where Mephisto gave me a choice: die or take in a demon's soul. I was scared a-and I didn't really think about it then, so I decided to take the gamble. I guess that's what the flames are about."

"And the ears and teeth—oh, you probably have a tail now as well." Mephisto chimed in casually, brandishing a mirror from seemingly nowhere. Rin took it, looking at his new, sharpened features in shock.

"W-what?!"

There was a chipper chiming noise as Mephisto reached into his pocket, tired eyes scanning his phone before returning his attention to the twins. "I'm afraid this conversation will have to be short; Rin Okumura, you've been given strength that exceeds the limits of human comprehension. As such, I will need to check in on you from time to time. In a pseudo-form of training, I will be giving you a few easy jobs from the Vatican; but, do not worry, I'll hide your existence for the time being. And, of course, you'll be paid for your services. I will come by your apartment in a week's time. Until then," the demon walked towards the door, giving a crooked grin, "do not unsheathe the sword for any reason. And try to hide your tail. While most humans will be unable to see it, you don't want it to be accidentally stepped on— trust me." And then he was gone, white cape billowing out comically behind him as he left the room.

The twins stared at each other in shock, eyes wide. Neither spoke for a few minutes, still absorbing the information the demon had given them.

Eventually, Yukio broke the silence, "So… I should probably mention that the café hired you even though you didn't show up for the interview after they heard what happened. Which is a good thing… I think."

Rin merely nodded in response, falling back against the pillows tiredly. _I don't think my life could get any more complicated…_

* * *

Four days after being released from the hospital, Rin found himself in another life-or-death situation— for him, anyway. Dressed in a simple, white button-up shirt and dark pants, the youth gulped as he pushed open the wooden door, bell chiming loudly at his arrival. Upon entering the cozy café, he was greeted by a woman who appeared to be a waitress.

"Welcome! Oh, it's _you._" She deadpanned, the once bright smile replaced with a haughty grimace.

"D-do I know you?" Rin questioned, rubbing the back of his head awkwardly. While the woman seemed a bit familiar, he couldn't place where he had seen her. With long, purple hair and crimson eyes, Rin couldn't imagine that someone with such striking features could be that easily forgotten. _Did we go to the same high school or something?_

The dark-haired woman huffed, turning away. "Figures. You seemed like the type to forget your own name. You ran into me on the street, remember? Like Literally ran into me. My coffee spilled all over my dress and all you did was run off with a half-hearted _sorry_."

The man had to bite back his retort about being hit by a semi-truck after their collision, instead holding out a hand with a sigh. "Look, I'm sorry, alright? I'm Rin Okumura, the new employee your manager should have told you about. I know we got off on the wrong foot, but I hope we can still be friends—"

Still looking away with her arms folded, the girl replied coldly, "I don't need nor want any friends. You don't bother me and I won't bother you… and my name is Izumo Kamiki." She added, walking towards the back of the café.

She turned back and looked at him expectantly. "Do you want to talk to the manager or not?"

The youth nodded, following quickly after her. From the kitchen, a loud voice called out, "So I heard our new employee's name is Rin. Does that mean she's another pretty girl?"

Izumo stopped in front of the kitchen, letting out a sigh. "Sorry to disappoint you, Shima, but Rin's a guy."

The pink-haired man's face immediately fell. "Really? What a shame…" He said, returning his attention to the food he was preparing. The other cook, a man with a rebellious blonde streak in his hair, growled slightly.

"Do you think of anything other than chasing girls? Like maybe your education?"

Shima waved his hand dismissively. "You're too uptight, Bon. That's why you don't have a girlfriend."

A threatening glare made its way onto his face. "Why you little punk—"

"Ah, don't fight, you guys! At least not in the kitchen where we can be fired for slacking off." A hesitant voice of reason said, revealing a short man with large, red-rimmed glasses. He had to use all of his strength to keep Bon from strangling the pink-haired youth.

Izumo rolled her eyes. "Just ignore them. Stuff like this happens all the time here."

Rin nodded in understanding, taking one last sympathetic glance at the bespectacled man who seemed to be responsible for keeping the other two men in check.

After walking down a narrow hallway, the two stopped at a door labeled simply 'manager.' Izumo turned towards Rin before speaking in a hushed voice, "I guess you deserve a warning. The boss isn't exactly… normal. Anyway, you'll understand what I mean when you see her."

Opening the door, Izumo ushered Rin inside. Taking a hesitant glance around the room, he found the large office chair and desk where the nameplate reading 'Shura Kiragakure' to be empty.

"She's not here—"The boy started, only to let out a cry of surprise as he fell to the ground, knocked down by a woman with fiery red hair. She had jumped from one of the ceiling tiles, letting out a cackle of amusement at the youth's reaction. Hopping off of him, she gave a feline-like grin, violet orbs twinkling with mischief.

"So yer the new kid, huh? Nice to meet ya! I'm the manager here and what I say is law, got it? You can just call me Shura, as long as ya respect me. The only rules I enforce are to get here on time, do yer job right, and keep the workplace drama to a minimum."

Rin nodded dully, head still reeling from being tackled. Getting to his feet, he finally took notice of his boss's skimpy attire which consisted of what appeared to be a bikini top and cut off jean shorts, as well as the recycling bin, which was stuffed to the brim with empty beer cans.

_I can already tell this will be nothing like any other job I've had… _Rin lamented, wondering faintly if anyone working at the café was normal, because he had a feeling that the whole staff was comprised of varying levels of insanity. _Well, at least it won't get boring, _he reasoned, walking out of Shura's office with a small smile.

* * *

A/N: Hehehe X3 You guys are great! I truly appreciate all the kind reviews! And, considering that seven people have voted for Rin/Izumo, it will be the main pairing! The minor pairings are: Mephisto/Shura and Shiemi/Amaimon! So, yay :3 I was leaning towards Rin/Izumo, anyway, cause I really want to explore Izumo's character.

Anyway, I'll see you guys in chapter 3!

_**Review?**_

P.S. If you guys have any names for the café that the group is working at, please let me know! As of right now I have no clue what to call it :P

-Isis


End file.
